||Wattys 2022 Shortlist||
Kian Advani was a closeted queer in his high school. Always in denial of his true feelings and emotions. So much so that he did everything to blend in with the rest of the straight crowd. But that didn't mean he wasn't att...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Long-distance relationships are not so easy to handle after all.
It had been exactly seven months since Kian had last seen or touched Enzo. No matter how often they face timed or chatted through text messages, seeing his music videos and touching him over the screen did little to ease the ache in his heart.
Though his life had become a blur of academic classes and work at the cafe, he still needed to spend some time with his boyfriend, hold him, kiss him or at least watch him in person. None of that was happening for another two months.
After two months, Enzo's music band would return to LA, and Kian had been saving up for a killer vacation with his Rockstar boyfriend. Enzo didn't know it yet, but that's what surprises are for. Kian wanted to blow his mind away, and maybe, a weekend on a tropical island would certainly do that to Enzo.
***
Kian: The long hair looks sexy on you.
Enzo: You like it, Kiki? I was planning to cut...
Kian: No, leave them long. I want to dive my fingers through them while I take my pending dose of kisses from you.
Kian responded even before Enzo could finish typing.
Enzo: I miss you, Kiki.
Kian: More than you could ever imagine.
***
Some days were just a never-ending song of longing. His eyes remained glued to the phone, his heart whining for relief as he waited for Enzo's texts the whole day until he finally slept. His messages remained unanswered, and his phone calls were unreceived.
Those were the bad days of their love story. Kian endured it anyway. Love is not always a happy song, or is it? When it burns, it turns your resolve into ashes.
But Enzo never let him burn for long. His blanket of love always wrapped around Kian in time to save him.
***
Kian: Good luck with the France concert. You're going to kill it.
Enzo: I'm going to Facetime you after. Wouldn't you like to see me all sweaty and worked up?
Kian: I would love that. So, does that mean we're going to be sexting tonight?
Enzo: Hell yes, we are.
***
Enzo: How did the Physics papers go? Did you survive it?
Kian: Not as good as I expected, but I survived it. I'm not failing it.
Enzo: Damn, not. You're one fucking intelligent nerd. My nerd, might I add.
